Thousands to be spent on making lakes site a ‘more attractive place’ for visitors

Henry James

WEST Lancs Council has approved funding of up to £15,000 to be spent on making the Abbey Lakes site in Up Holland “a more attractive, accessible and enjoyable place to visit.”

The authority’s Ranger Service has been working at the site with charity ED Homes which helps ex-service personnel back into mainstream living.

The council’s cabinet on Tuesday, June 12 agreed the proposals to use Section 106 monies to make improvements at Abbey Lakes.

Developers pay Section 106 money to the council to pay for community and social infrastructure.

Volunteers from ED Homes have been co-ordinated by the Rangers to help them to enhance the site and it is hoped in the future there will be a group/club to fish the lake and help manage the site.

The Ranger Service make sure all the volunteers follow the health and safety protocol and they have to carry out risk assessments, training and have insurance cover.

Since November, the volunteers have been engaged on a trial basis.

In a council report for the cabinet meeting the director of leisure and environment services at West Lancs Council, Heidi McDougall, writes: “This trial has been very successful and a programme of works has now been established for the summer period, including improvements to access and car parking, enhanced pathways, and improvements to the fishing platforms and fishing facilities.”

The Ranger Service will oversee the programme of works and on-going maintenance will be carried out by the volunteer group and the Rangers. It is hoped the initial trial will become a permanent arrangement.

In the report the council director adds: “These improvements will contribute towards making Abbey Lakes a more attractive, accessible and enjoyable place to visit for the residents of Up Holland and West Lancashire.

“It will also further the aims of community engagement in the management of our parks and open spaces. The project will also make a considerable contribution towards improving the health and wellbeing of the ex service volunteers that will be taking part.”